What are the most spectacular roads in Chile?
From the dunes of the Atacama to the ice of Patagonian glaciers, Chile is a dream for road trip enthusiasts. Located in South America, the narrow and long country hosts a never-ending list of mountain passes acting as a border with other countries. It’s worth remembering the country shares borders with Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. So, prepare to conquer Agua Negra Pass, the highest road between Argentina and Chile. At an elevation of 4.774m (15,662ft) above sea level and located on the border of Argentina and Chile, it's one of the highest roads in Chile. And, don’t miss Planchon Pass in the Andes, at 2.515m (8,251ft) above sea level, on the border with Argentina.
When you travel to Chile, there are hundreds of roads that must be in your list as it hosts more than 150 roads listed on the most spectacular drives in the world. Starting on Ruta 5, part of the Panamerican Highway, that offers a glimpse of Chile's dramatic geography; Paso Internacional Los Libertadores, a series of hairpin turns on the border with Argentina, and ending at Ojos del Salado stratovolcano, the world’s highest active volcano. At 6,891m (22,608ft) above sea level, this mountain has been the scene of several records for attaining the highest altitude aboard a land vehicle. It’s one of the highest accessible points by car on Earth.
How to drive the unpaved Ruta Lapislázuli to Paso la Chapetona?
Paso la Chapetona, also known as Paso del Azufre Norte, is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3,654m (11,988ft) above sea level, situated on the border between Chile and Argentina. For drivers, this is a dead-end mining track known as Ruta Lapislázuli, which climbs the Andes from the Chilean side toward the mineral deposits of the Coquimbo Region.
How to drive through San Juan Pass in the Andes?
Paso de San Juan is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.607m (11,833ft) above sea level, located in the San Pedro de Atacama commune, in Chile.
Road R-925-S
R-925-S is a very scenic drive located at the foot of the Andes, in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region, in Chile.
Driving the steep road to La Silla Observatory in the Atacama
La Silla is a high mountain peak at 2,400 meters, standing as a sentinel in the southern Atacama Desert of northern Chile. This is the driest and most remote desert on Earth, and the road to the summit, the C-541, is the only lifeline to one of the world's most important astronomical hubs. While the road is asphalted to allow for the transport of delicate optical equipment, the drive is a brutal encounter with the Andean foothills, where the heat, the isolation, and the steep gradients test the cooling system and the driver's focus at every kilometer.
How to drive the unpaved road to Quebrada Blanca?
Quebrada Blanca is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.389m (14,399ft) above sea level, located in the Tarapacá Region of Chile.
Claudio Lucero Refuge
Refugio Claudio Lucero is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 4.527m (14,852ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border.
Valle Nevado chairlift
Valle Nevado chairlift lies in the Andes Mountains of Chile, at an elevation of 3.306m (10,846ft) above the sea level.
Nevados de Vilcún
Nevados de Vilcún is a ski resort at an elevation of 1.508m (4,947ft) above the sea level, located within the Conguillío National Park, in the Araucania region of Chile.
Cerro Canasa
Cerro Canasa is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.304m (14,119ft) above the sea level, located in the Chilean Tarapacá Region, near the Bolivian border.
Atacama Refuge
Refugio Atacama is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 5.256m (17,244ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border.
Mirador de Toconce
Mirador de Toconce is a high mountain observation deck at an elevation of 3.339m (19,954ft) above the sea level located in the Antofagasta region of Chile.
Cerro Capi
Cerro Capi is a mountain at an elevation of 965m above the sea level located in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. The road is extremely steep, with sections up to 15%.
Driving the steep and truck-filled Cuesta de Llanta
Cuesta de Llanta is one of the most punishing and high-pressure sections of road in the Atacama Desert. Located in the Chañaral Province of northern Chile, this short but brutal climb is part of the Route C-13, the main lifeline for the massive mining operations in Diego de Almagro and the ghost town of Potrerillos. It is a world of dust, heat, and heavy machinery where the asphalt is constantly tortured by the weight of oversized trucks. Driving here is an exercise in patience and nerves, as you navigate steep inclines while surrounded by the constant roar of industrial traffic.
How to drive the unpaved road to Azufrera Tacora?
Azufrera Tacora is an abandoned sulphur mine at an elevation of 4.518m (14,822ft) above sea level, located on the border of Chile and Peru.
Cerro Camellos: Driving the high-altitude 4x4 track in Tarapacá
Cerro Camellos is a high mountain peak reaching an elevation of 4,431 meters (14,537 ft) above sea level in the Tarapacá Region of northern Chile. Located in the Atacama Desert, the unpaved track branches off Ruta A-687 and accesses the high-altitude volcanic landscape of the Andes.
Is the road to Cerro Azufrera de los Cuyanos the ultimate high-altitude test in Chile?
Cerro Azufrera de los Cuyanos is a massive volcano located in the Atacama Region of Chile, near the border with Argentina. A mining road near the summit climbs up to 5,553m (18,218ft) above sea level. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
Road D-447
Carretera D-447 is a very scenic drive located in the Elqui Province, Coquimbo Region, in Chile. This is a maintained road where a high clearance 2WD vehicle is able to travel safely at low speeds on long dry straight-of-ways, without losing control due to wash boarding, ruts, or dips.
Driving to Casiri Hembra and Macho: High-altitude lagoons in the Chilean Andes
Laguna Casiri Hembra and Laguna Casiri Macho are a pair of stunning high-altitude mountain lagoons located in the Arica and Parinacota Region of Chile. Situated near the Bolivian border, the road to these lakes is one of the highest driving routes in the country, surrounded by a dramatic landscape of volcanoes.
Paso Guaitiquina
Paso Guaitiquina is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.451m (14,603ft) above the sea level located in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. The climb is simply terrible, with a notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Near the pass, oxygen is in short supply.
Portezuelo El Gaucho
Portezuelo El Gaucho is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.177m (13,704ft) above the sea level, located in Huasco Province, in Atacama Region of Chile.
The Drive Up Putana Volcano is Among Earth's Highest Roads on Earth
Volcán Putana is a stratovolcano located on the border between Chile and Boilivia. A former mine access road climbs up to 5.779m (18,959ft) above sea level. It’s one of the highest roads on Earth.
Road B-898
Carretera B-898 is a very scenic drive located in Antofagasta Province, in northern Chile. The road, also known as Ruta Patrimonial de Taltal, is 30.0 km long.
A wild mining road to Vicuña volcano in the Andes
Vicuña is a volcano at an elevation of 5.495m (18,028ft) above sea level, straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
A gravel road to the Damas Pass border in the Andes
Paso de las Damas is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.081m (10,108ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Chile and Argentina, in the Andes mountains.
How to drive the unpaved road to Portezuelo Caballo Muerto?
Portezuelo Caballo Muerto is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.410m (14,468ft) above sea level, located in the Atacama Region of Chile.
Driving the paved A-23 road to Abra Chapoco in northern Chile
Abra Chapoco is a high-altitude mountain pass reaching 4,400 meters in the Parinacota Province, at the northernmost tip of Chile. Sitting just a stone's throw from the Peruvian border, the road through the pass—the A-23—is a remarkable piece of infrastructure that was fully paved during the 2010s. This is a journey through the silent Altiplano, a route where the asphalt cuts a straight line through a barren, mineral landscape, dominated by the silhouette of the Volcán Tacora and the thin, biting air of the high Andes.
Road trip guide: Conquering Mina Centinela
Mina Centinela is a high mountain copper mine located in the Atacama Region of Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Portezuelo de Chulluncallani
Portezuelo de Chulluncallani is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.492m (14,737ft) above the sea level, located in the Arica y Parinacota Region, in Chile, near the Bolivian border.
The Ultimate Guide to Conquering Cerro Tecar
Cerro Tecar is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5.088m (16,692ft) above the sea level, located in the Antofagasta region, in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
A 4x4 mine road to Cerro El Potro in the Andes
Cerro El Potro is a mountain peak at an elevation of 5.472m (17,952ft) above sea level, straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Portezuelo El Choclo
Portezuelo El Choclo is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.375m (11,072ft) above the sea level, located in the Atacama region of Chile.
Driving the high altitude mining road to Cerro Carasilla
Cerro Carasilla, also known as Cerro Carecilla, is a massive peak that breaks the 5,000-meter barrier in the Antofagasta Region of Chile, right on the edge of the Bolivian border. The track that grinds its way to the summit was built for mining operations and is a brutal mix of jagged rocks and loose ripio. Driving here means taking your vehicle to one of the highest points on the planet where a road still exists—a mineral and desolate world where altitude sickness doesn't just hit the driver, but leaves engines gasping for any bit of oxygen they can find.
Los Caracoles Drive Guide From Santiago to Mendoza Through High Andes
Driving across a continent is one thing, but driving over one of the world's biggest mountain ranges is another. The Andes form a tall spine between Chile and Argentina. They are rock, ice, and thin air. For road-trippers and truckers, the route between Santiago and Mendoza is an epic task. Its most famous stretch is called Los Caracoles — the Snails. This road is tight and steep. It tests both people and machines.
A truck powered by solar energy sets altitude record: it has climbed a volcano in Chile
The transportation of goods by road still lacks heavy electric vehicles that meet certain operational needs. As a result, companies in the sector and drivers continue to await the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology and electric battery systems as solutions to the specific requirements of professional transportation. However, the industry is also considering other options, as demonstrated by the Swiss solar truck that has achieved an impressive feat by conquering the highest active volcano on Earth, located in Chile.
A mining road to Cerro del Carmen in the Andes
Cerro del Carmen is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 5,145m (16,879ft) above sea level, located on the border of Argentina and Chile. It's one of the highest roads in the country.
Cerros de Anocarire
Cerros de Anocarire is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 4.845m (15,895ft) above the sea level, located in the Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile.